Taliban forwards demands to NWFP govt

Mingora, May 1: The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Government has received a list of demands from the local Taliban, as condition for tension and violence in the Swat Valley. The Taliban has reportedly demanded the imposition of Shariah law in the Malakand Division, an end to all cases registerd against the Taliban and amnesty for local Taliban.

The provincial government is considering these demands in order to bring peace to the region. The local Taliban is also in contact with the defunct Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad. The Daily Times quoted sources as saying that Sufi Muhammad has convened a shura meeting of TNSM on May 15 to deliberate on the peace process in the region.

According to the sources, negotiations between the Mullah Fazlullah-led Taliban and the NWFP government are also scheduled to take place.